Improvement in railroad-rail joints



n. LONG. RAILROAD 'RAIL-MINI N.170',3'84. Patented-Nov. za,1a75. y

/f/ Y f V N.PETERS. FHOTOlLITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

nrrn Srrns IMPROVEMENT iN RAlLROAD-RAIL JOINTS.

specification forming part f Letters Patent No. 170,384. dated November 23, 1875; application filed August 4, 1575.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD LONG, of the city of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Iniprovement in Fish-Plates for Railroad-Joints, of which the following is a specification:

The object ot' my invention is to construct a tish-plate for railroad-joints that will, when applied to the rail, make it practically con` tinuous. i

It has been fully proved that there is always a deflection in the rails when the cars are passing over them, which exists not only directly under the wheels, but also a slight distance in front and rear of the same, and that this deliection passes along the rails in the direction in which the cars arev going, similar to a ware in front ot a prow ot' a boat. This wave or delection travels, as stated, along the rails until it reaches the rail-joint, where it is broken and ceases, or is not transmitted to the rail in advance, and as the forward end of the rail upon which the cars are passing is slightlyT depressed below tho end of the next rail, the wheels, striking this elevation, are caused to jump from the depressed rail to the end ofthe one in advance, and in this way the ends of the rails become battered, and have very soon to be removed.

It has also been fully demonstrated by practical experience that, owing to this irregularity of the joint, causing the wheels to strike the ends of the rails, as stated, the wheels are made to rebound from the track, and strike again on thel track a few inches from the joint, and thus injure and wear out the rails at this point also.

There are two principal causes for this trouble, arising, as stated, from the breaking or stoppage ot' this wave of delection at the joint, and thus preventing the same from being transmitted to the rail iu advance, one of which is that the fish-plates now in use do not give the extreme rigidity to the rail just at the point where it is essential-viz., directly at the joint-but owing to their uniform thickness, the 'same degree of rigidity is maintained throughout, or from one end of the fish-plate to the other; While another cause is found in the fact that the sh-plates now used are not constructed in a manner adapted to their being retained firmly iu position or tight up to the head, web, and base ot' the rail, as they do not have sulicient bearing upon these points to prevent the fish-plates from slightly slipping or springing when the engine comes upon them, thus permitting the end ot' o-ne rail to be depressed below the end ot the other.

In order to remedy these evils I have invented a iish -plate of different thicknesses, having a very strong re-entbrcenlent in the middle, so as-to give the extreme rigidity del` sired directly at thejoint ot' the rails; also, a

v small' re-ent'orcenlent or narrow boss at or near.

each end of' the tish-plate, so-as to have greater hearing on the head and base ot the. rails, thus preventing any slipping or springing ot' the plates. These re-en'torcements, near the` ends ot the sh-plates, are made so as to take in the part ot' the plate where the holes are punched to receive the bolts, (the two end bolts,) so as to admit of these bolts drawing and retaining the fish-plates very tirmly in position, or tight up against the dilerent parts ot' the rail, as well as to prevent any spring-.fl

ing of the plates at these points. The re-enforcement in the middle of the fish-plate is lessenedin thickness at the points where the two inner bolts pass through, and ceases entirely just beyond, or outside. these points, thus lessening the thickness of that portion ofthe shplates between the inner and the end bolts, so as to reduce the extreme rigidity which is desired directly at the joint, (but nowhere else,) so as to permit the rails to slightly yield at a point a few inches from the joint of the same, and in this manner overcoming the injury occasioned by the rebounding otl the wheels and their striking and battering the head of the rails at this point, as before stated. Should the head of the bolt project too far out, by reason of the additional thickness of the reenforcements, a depression can readily be formed in the same to receive the head of the bolt, and thus obviate any diltlculty ot' this kind. Owing to theincreased thickness of the sh-plates at the points where the holes are made to receive the bolts, caused by the re-eut'orcern'ents on the surface of the plates, a screw-thread can readily be out in the holesA in one of the plates, and the fastening-bolts screwed directly into these holes, thus doing tween the two rails is located.

away entirely with the use of nuts, should `this plan `be deemed preferable `over the lordi- Ashowing one of my improved fish-plates in position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section onthe line y y of Fig. l, showing the two sl1-plates in position and `bolted tothe rails. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on linea: .fr of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, A A `represent the adjoining ends of two railroad-rails of the usual construction. `B B represent the two ishplates in position-one`ou each side of the rails, and secured thereto by bolts and nuts in the usual manner. a a designate the largest or thickest re-enforcements on the middle of the flsh-plates,at the point where the joint beb b designate the thinner portion of this main or centralreenforcement, at the points where the inner bolts pass through the plates. c o o c designate that part of the fish-plates `which is made the thinnest, 1in order `to allow the nails to yield slightly at these points.. dud designate theY smaller `reenforcements near gthe ends of the sh-plates, through whichthe end bolts pass. The increased bearing forl the head and base ot' the rail, obtained by the addition of the re-entorcementsof the usb-plates, is fully shown in Fig. 3. l

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A fish-plate, constructed with a heavy re-enforcement at its central portion, andi extending from the top edge tothe bottom thereof, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. A {ish-plate, constructed of varyin g thicknesses, as described, whereby different 1degrecs of rigidity are obtained therein, andcapable of beingrolled'in their manufacture, as

stated, substantially in the` manner andffor the purpose set forth.`

3. The fish-plates B B, having `theidepres- 'sions c c formed in the face "thereof," in lcombination with the Arails A A,as described, `whereby the rails are allowed to yield, in the :man:- uer and for the purpose set forth. y

4. The fish-plates B B, constructed withthe 

